6.
The challenge is
• Exponentially accelerating change
• Unexpected
• Unstable
• May be of unknown duration
• Requires accelerated decision making
• Require an urgent response
But
• Its not necessarily hard to understand
• Knowledge about it is often available
Example
Prices fluctuate after a natural disaster

10.
The VUCA prime
The VUCA prime can be
seen as a continuum of
skill leader can develop
to help make sense
Of leading in VUCA world

11.
VUCA : UNCERTAINTY
Victim of Uncertainty Master of Uncertainty
• See the only one out come and
does not think beyond the
immediate
• See only problem with potential
outcomes
• Clings to existing processes even
when they are inadequate
• Rely on past solution to solve
today issues
• Concerned with the here and
now
• Able to see a range of outcomes
and think in terms of confidence
intervals
• See uncertain time as
opportunities make bold moves
• Recognize issue with current
state and seeks to adapt
• Looks for flaws in the past
solution to today problem
• Concerned with the future,
looking for the weak signals
which are the harbingers of
change

14.
Ambiguity
The haziness of reality, the potential for misreads,
and the mixed meanings of conditions; cause-and-
effect confusion.

15.
Ambiguity – Leadership
Challenges
Failure to understand the significance of an event
High risk of miss-interpreting events and
responding inappropriately in ineffective ways
Leaders are too far removed from the source
and context of the events
Leaders act based on a limited understanding of
events and their meaning
Source: http://www.georgeambler.com/vuca-leading-in-

16.
How to lead effectively in an Ambiguous
environment?
Listen well
Think
divergently
Set up
incremental
dividends
Source: https://hbr.org/2011/01/leading-

21.
Battle Against
CURIOSITY - ask questions (coach) that
challenge the status quo in your organization
every day
EMPATHY - get where people are coming
from – their hopes, fears and desires
OPEN MIND - explore new ideas, reflect and
seek constructive criticism

22.
SIMPLIFY - chop the fat, cut through the
complexity and distill the core down to its
essence
INTUITION - use the gift of knowing without
reasoning, trust your gut and your experience
SYSTEMS THINKING - approach problems
from a holistic perspective (a system of
dynamic, interacting, interdependent parts)

23.
DECISIVENESS - adapt quickly to changing
circumstances and make decisions with
confidence
INNOVATE OR DIE - learn from your mistakes
and continuously seek new ways to get better at
what you do
EMPOWER - value networks over hierarchy,
collaboration over control and set people free to
do great work
Ambiguity Agility